All the rural ladies, put your hands up

QUEENSLAND women in agriculture are encouraged to enter the 2018 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award, for a chance to win a $10,000 project bursary.

Director-general Dr Beth Woods said the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries was proud to support the award again this year, which recognises the innovative contributions that rural women make to primary industries.

"The Rural Women's Award is an opportunity for Queensland women to use and develop their skills to benefit their industries and communities,” Dr Woods said.

"The award is open to all women working in Australian rural industries, rural and regional businesses and rural and regional communities.

"Each state and territory winner receives a $10,000 bursary for innovative projects and will be provided access to other opportunities and alumni networks.”

Jacqui Wilson-Smith, the 2017 Queensland winner, was using the $10,000 bursary to create an online learning platform to enable rural agribusinesses to connect.

"It was an absolute pleasure to receive this award, to meet the other finalists, and to also meet all the other fantastic women associated with the award,” Ms Wilson-Smith said.

"I think many of us, as women, are driven internally to share, to connect, to collaborate, and I just know that over the next 10 to 20 years I really want to inspire other women to also step up, give it a go and bring those wonderful values.”

Online applications for the 2018 Rural Women's Award opened last week and close on October 29. State and territory winners will be announced by April next year.

The Queensland Government manages the award every year in Queensland, in conjunction with AgriFutures.

AgriFutures Australia is the new trading name for Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.